Sporter....welcome to Henry Rifle Forum. Since you have the same rifle as me. I'll give you details of what I have on my rifle. I'll provide links below for you. I have the Skinner express receiver mounted sight on my rifle. I shot the rifle with the factory front sight still mounted and it shot perfect....just had a hard time seeing the brass bead. So....I wanted a fiber optic front blade since my eye site sucks (I wear glasses). The fiber optic front blade sight has made this rifle....really fun to shoot. On Skinner Sights website, he offers a fiber optic front sight blade....which are available in 4 heights. .410" ~ .450" ~ .500" ~ .570". You will need the .570" The .570" sight has a 3/8" dovetail and a 1/2" wide base. The fiber optic front sight blade will have to be fitted for the dovetail before it can be installed. I suggest using a fine file to file the fiber optic front sight blade base down so that it has a proper fit. If you need more detail on how to do this....just ask....were here to help.Sporter wrote:Just got a new Henry steel big boy in 44 mag. (Very pleased.) I plan on getting a Skinner peep and front blade. The steel has the round barrel. My question is what front blade? Width? and height? I know the rule that I should shoot the gun with the peep and the factory front, but would like to have them delivered at the same time and I do want a plain square front blade which is what I am used to in my high power competition. The rear peep will be mounted on the receiver, and I will sight it in at 100 yds. Also, the factory front sight came mis mounted way to the right as you look down the barrel. Consequently it shoot 5" left at 50 yds and I can't bring it much closer. This is no big deal since I am planning to replace it. But it does complicate thing when shooting with the factory front. Thanks. It was great to find this forum.
At the bottom....I included the Henry style punch below (link)....but....I opted for the Skinner punch cause it's actually a drift punch. Meaning....it has a flat side for drifting. Helps keep the punch aligned to whatever your drifting. The Henry punch is just that....a punch. I have several firearms that I use the Skinner drift punch on and the flat side on the drift punch helps keep the drift punch aligned to whatever I'm drifting. Not saying the Henry punch doesn't do it's job....I just like using the right tool for the job at hand.
The elevation locking screw with finger knob helps when you need to adjust elevation. The Skinner Express sight has a screw that you have to use a allen wrench on to adjust the elevation. By using the elevation locking screw with finger knob, you don't have to keep the allen wrench around to be able to adjust for elevation. But you will have to use a allen wrench when you adjust the windage on the Skinner Express Sight. Windage adjustment is only done once. I'll include a picture. I enlarged the picture....if you want a close up of the Skinner Express Sight.
For me....I opted to remove the Henry buckhorn sight when I installed the Skinner Express Sight. When I removed the buckhorn sight....this left the dovetail open and the edges are sharp. So....I installed a blank in it's place. This blank will have to be sized just like the front sight blade. Sizing the blank and the front sight blade....took me about two hours to do. Since I had to size the blank and the front sight blade....I choose to blue the bottom of the bases so keep them looking like they did from Skinner. If you don't blue them....you won't run into trouble (I'm just OCD like that).
I also included the apertures encase you wanted to change the aperture size. I change mine back and forth for different application....so I purchased the Skinner Special for the apertures. The Skinner Special cost $50.00 for all five of the apertures. With my handloads....I can put the skinny on paper/steel if I want too.
Dovetail Sight Blanks $7.00
Elevation Locking Screw with Finger Knob $8.00
Sight Adjustment Punch $20.00
http://www.skinnersights.com/testimonials_12.html
Apertures $11.00 each or $50.00 for the Skinner Special
http://www.skinnersights.com/apertures_8.html
Fiber Optic Front Sight $20.00
http://www.skinnersights.com/front_sights_5.html
Skinner "BIG BOY" Express - Blued $90 - Brass $95 - Black Gold $110 (Fits the Henry Big Boy Rifles)
Quote from Skinner Sights.......IF YOU HAVE A HENRY "BIG BOY" RIFLE #H006 (Brass) and #H012 (Steel) THIS IS THE SIGHT FOR YOU.
http://www.skinnersights.com/henry_rifles_18.html
Henry Gunsight Kit $35.00
http://henrypride.com/collections/acces ... 8464039046